Colorado Academy | |
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Spiritus Vitam Vivificat ("Spirit Enlivens Life")
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Address | |
3800 South Pierce Street Denver, Colorado, 80235 United States |
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Coordinates | [1] |
Information | |
Established | 1906 |
CEEB Code | 060393 |
Head of school | Michael G. Davis, PhD |
Faculty | 90 |
Grades | pre-K to 12 |
Enrollment | 890 (as of 2008-09) |
Average class size | 17 |
Student to teacher ratio | 9:1 |
Campus size | 94 acres (380,000 m2) |
School Colour(s) | Red/black/white |
Athletics | CHSAA 3A, 5A |
Athletics conference | Metro League, Southern League |
Mascot | Mustang |
Average SAT scores | 626 Critical Reading; 628 Math (mean for 2006-2008) |
Average ACT scores | 27.3 (mean for 2006-2008) |
Website | http://www.coloradoacademy.org/ |
Colorado Academy (commonly known as C.A.) is an independent nonsectarian, co-educational, college preparatory day school for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school's 94-acre (380,000 m2) campus is located in Denver, Colorado and provides educational opportunities for approximately 900 students.
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Colorado Academy was established in 1906 as the Hill School for Boys in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Between 1906 and 1919, the school went through several name changes before settling on the Collegiate Military School. Military training was incorporated into the curriculum and the school changed name once more to Colorado Military School in 1923. The school outgrew its space during World War II and in 1947 moved from its location near the University of Denver to its present location in southwest Denver. Enrollment declined after the move and the school was reorganized in 1951, this time as Colorado Military Academy.
In 1955 the school began shifting its focus away from military training. Under the leadership of F. Charles Froelicher, Colorado Academy emerged as a college preparatory school for boys. The school became coeducational in 1971 and has experienced steady growth since.
In the 2011 school year, Colorado Academy graduated 86 seniors, its largest class since its founding in 1906.
The school's present campus was purchased in 1947. Then known as the Kirk estate, it had been the country home of Jesse Welborn, president of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. The campus has 12 main buildings, Knowles Upper School, the Lower School, Chowdry Middle School, Raether Library, Newton Athletic Center, Froelicher Theatre, Schotters Music Building, Welborn House (administration), Smith Center (administration), Stevens Arts Center/photography lab, Pre-Kindergarten, and the Campus Center/Bookstore. The CA campus also has a number of athletic fields, such as Stuie's Courts (8) (Tennis), Wright field (lacrosse/soccer), East field 1 (practice/ultimate frisbee), East field 2 (practice/ultimate frisbee), Simms Field (soccer), Firman field (soccer/practice), Slater Field (turf)(lacrosse/soccer/field hockey), and the baseball diamond.
At CA, academic rigor, small classes, and strong individual attention are the core of the curriculum. The strong relationship between students, parents and teachers is central to CA’s mission and culture. Sharing the methods and goals CA uses to educate the students is one way CA enhances this relationship. Curriculum maps provide an overview of each class in the school. Because of this, CA sends 100% of graduating seniors to the nation's top colleges and universities and more than 125 admission officers from around the country come to recruit CA seniors every year.
Activities unique to Colorado Academy include annual overnight trips—third grade students to the Plains Conservation Center, fifth grade students visit Crow Canyon, and eighth grade students go on an Outward Bound Leadership and Communication Retreat. Week-long experiential programs, known as Interim, are available every spring to Upper and Middle School students.
The Upper School club Students HOPE (Helping Other People Eat) puts on a holiday party on the school's campus (transportation included) for nearly 1,600[2] homeless Denver residents, serving food and giving out toys.
The Upper School club Mustang Monthly releases a monthly newsletter on many current student-related news topics, including book reviews, current local and international happenings, and personal editorials.
The CA Mock Trial team, founded in 2008, qualified for the state tournament in its first, second, and third years of competition. Always placing in the top ten, CA Mock Trial has done very well for such a small school. Also in the third year of competition, CA Mock Trial sent its all freshman team to state. The students made up a vast majority of the freshman there and did fairly well placing 16th overall and lost only to teams that had both competed at nationals, one of which (Glenwood Springs) placed third in the 2011 national championship.
Other Upper School clubs include Yearbook, AfricAid (founded by alumna Ashley Shuyler), and Faces of Diversity.
Colorado Academy fields Colorado High School Activities Association-sanctioned competition teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. These teams compete in 3A and 5A classification in the Metro League and Southern League. Additional competitive sports available to students include rock climbing and ultimate Frisbee. Non-competitive options include conditioning, cross-training, racquetball, and yoga.
State championship titles won by the school's teams include men's soccer (1998, 1999)[3], women's soccer (1999[4], 2003[5]), women's field hockey (1997)[6], women's lacrosse (2000), women's golf (2007, 2008), women’s track and field (1983), women's ultimate frisbee (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) and men's ultimate Frisbee (2008)